Julie Ann Elftmann

Julie was one of two children born to Joseph and Laura Steiner in Seattle, WA on December 31, 1929. Julie worked as a secretary for the International Association of Aeronautical Machinists in the early 1950’s. She later took her skills to the Boeing Company where she retired in 1991.

Julie’s greatest love was her husband of 42 years Dale. Dale and Julie never had children of their own, so she found joy in spoiling all of her nieces and nephews. Julie also spent much of her time loving the many cats that were close to her. Her cats were her babies. Julie loved to travel and took many trips and cruises with Dale, friends, and family.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Dale A. Elftmann, her sister Clare M Steiner, her niece Sandra Renfro, nephew Alan Barkdoll, Julie is survived by sister-in-law; Carol and husband Jerome "Mike" Michaels of Georgetown, TX, local family nieces; Carol Watkins, Sheila Golden (Marty), Londa Berg (Patrick), Inger Elftmann-Henderson, Lisa Elftmann-Dean (Kevin), and nephew; Kirk Elftmann, along with many nieces and nephews in Minnesota, Texas, and the United Kingdom.

The Funeral Service took place at 11:00 AM, Thursday April 15th at Evergreen Funeral Home, Her burial took place at Mountain View Cemetery in Auburn, Washington.

This is the Eulogy read at her service;

Today we are all here to pay homage to one of the loveliest, kindest, most wonderful women I think I have ever had the privilege of knowing. My dear, sweet aunt, Julie Elftmann.

Auntie had such a gentle nature about her. She loved animals, especially cats. While she never had any human children of her own, she had many, many kitties over the years, 16 to be exact, that she loved and cherished along with her many nieces and nephews that she treated as her own.

Many times, when I would find myself describing her to others, one of her most endearing qualities was, she always saw the glass half full instead of half empty. Even when, on a trip to Minnesota, my cousin Karla shared with me a time when the whole family went camping. Karla said, “she always felt that Aunt Julie would rather be staying at the Hilton versus a tent, but she never let on to anyone of any discomfort “the great outdoors” was to her. She always approached everything in life with a positive attitude but do not let that gentle nature fool you, she also had a feisty side!

During the onset of COVID, while she was living in a retirement community in Arlington, my dear aunt would get tired of sitting around during lock downs so, she would collaborate with one of her friends, I believe Bob was his name. She would leave her room, escaping down the back stairs (to avoid the front desk) and out the back door to a waiting car where Bob’s nephew would pick them up and run off for the day. The three of them would go shopping, go to lunch, have a few drinks, and some fun. The only problem is when they returned, they had to come in the front door where management would catch them. Then I would get a call that my aunt had been busted again. Heck, Sheila, and I were trying to convince her to put a stick or rock in the door so she could get back in and avoid the front office.

The first time she ran off she accidently pulled the fire alarm. The second time she set off the door alarm. Management told to me that they would try and stop her, but she would turn, smile that sweet smile, give a little giggle, and head for the waiting car. When I would get the call I would ask, “What do you want me to do?” She was 90 and had earned the right to have a little fun.

Yes, she was a class act pure and simple. She was always pulled together. You never saw her without her hair done and make-up on. She always wore the latest in stylish clothing and outfits fitting for the time. As my cousin Donna said, “she was our Grace Kelly.” She was always a perfect lady with COOL white glasses”. She never swore or cussed unless well…it came to her cats. You have to understand, her cats were everything to her. They were her babies.

My sister Inger reminded me of a time when during a family event at their home in Arlington, one of the boys hit the wrong button to open the garage door. He pushed the button that opened the third garage bay where auntie had created a cat room. Her cat room had a couple of couches with blankets for the cats to hide under and a TV. Auntie would go out there to watch TV and snuggle and love on her kitties, for hours. Well, when she heard the garage door open and went out to investigate, finding the wrong door had been opened, words came out of her mouth that I am not sure any of us had heard.

In all honesty, you cannot speak about my aunts’ character and the woman I knew her as without sharing the other half of her. The half that made her whole, her partner through 42 years of marriage. Her true love, our uncle Dale.

I don’t know much about their time together before I was born but through all the pictures I have seen over the years and the stories told, they were a striking couple that loved to entertain and ohhhh did they love to dance!! They were amazing on the dance floor.

I remember when I was young, visiting them at the bird house, as they called it. A small one-bedroom home on stilts, built on the side of a hill, looking out over Lake Washington. We would squeeze all the nieces, nephews, and our parents into that small place for family events. It was small but full of love.

I think I can safely say that Dale and Julie were a force to be reconned with, for all of us. We always looked forward to family events when unkie and auntie were around. They spoiled us kids every Christmas and for our birthdays. There was always lots of laughter, love, and olive soup, for the adults, that is. So, you ask, “What is olive soup”? Olive soup was the name my uncle Dale gave to his Martini’s. Trust me, he made the best Martini’s.

The Friday before my aunt passed away, I was helping tidy up a bit and found a bottle of vodka and vermouth I had bought her, at her request by the way! I turned to her and said, “how about we have a martini?” She did not hesitate, “yes, she said”! So, I mixed us both a martini, threw in the olives, sat down and we toasted Uncle Dale with my version of olive soup!

Our Aunt Julie had four things that meant everything to her. Her husband, her family, her cats, and her faith. My cousin Karla shared with me that she spoke with auntie about her belief in Christ. My aunt told Karla; she has always known him. She knew that the Lord had a hand in her life along the way and when she left this world there would be no more pain.

My cousin Karla said it perfectly, she will always be our super cool, super sweet Aunt Julie. I know she is in heaven now, reunited with Uncle Dale. I can just hear him welcoming her home with one word he used often….” FANTASTIC!” Karla said, “she can see them in heaven dressed all hip and cool, having a martini and a dance…together again”.

If you knew Julie, you were blessed and better off for having known her. Till we meet again. I Love you auntie.